Evangelical leaders in Peru commit to fight corruption

September 4, 2013

Latin America and Caribbean Communication Agency

Rolando Perez

LIMA, Peru

On Aug. 23, leaders of more than 30 diverse evangelical denominations and organizations attended the launch in Peru of EXPOSED, a global campaign against corruption. The campaign seeks to bring awareness to Christians of corruption and to commit Christians to the fight against it with strengthened pastoral efforts and faith-based advocacy.

At the end of the meeting, the attending evangelical leaders committed to participate in the global campaign by:

increasing the awareness of corruption in their respective congregations and ministries;

collecting signatures that will be used to issue a call to governing officials in the G-20 nations to demand concrete steps to put an end to corruption; and

praying and reflecting on the prophetic role of the church against corruption.

In the meeting, Pastor Enrique Alva, president of CONEP (National Evangelical Council of Peru) and Raquel Gago, executive director of UNICEP (National Alliance of Evangelical Christian Churches of Peru), sponsors of the campaign in Peru, agreed that the church has an ethical and moral responsibility in light of the accelerated increase of corruption in different levels of society, but especially in the level of the State.

“Corruption, which has severe consequences especially among the poor in our society, is a sin, and the church cannot be complacent regarding corruption. On the contrary, the church has the responsibility to expose this sin,” said Pastor Alva.

Gago called for the represented churches to combine their efforts for this cause and encouraged them to continue in the task to develop a permanent vigilance of public and State management.

Pastor Rafael Goto, former member of the National Commission against Corruption, urged the church leaders to take into account the positive impact that churches can have against the spread of corruption if they decide to act.

“Corruption not only kills, it also impoverishes millions of people, especially the poorest of our society,” he asserted.

The event coincided with the publication of a national survey, “Perception of Peruvians about Corruption,” which was conducted by the non-governmental organization “Pro-Etica,” the Peruvian chapter of Transparency International.

The survey revealed that of the Peruvians surveyed, 78% tolerate corruption, 91% claim they don’t respect the law, and 93% admit that they have not reported an intention to bribe.

Cecilia Blondet, executive director of “Pro-Etica,” said the evidence in this survey presents a good opportunity to demand of the State work against corruption in the central government.